Marriage Counseling
by sierendipity
Summary: "Oh, maybe she and Ron will be alright with a bit of counseling, you know. I wonder what happens at wizard marriage counseling?" -J.K. Rowling. Maybe Ron and Hermione ARE in need of some marriage counseling. And maybe that isn't such a bad thing after all.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Chapter one of a new story! I'm working with their ages and situations in life to remain in character, so please mention something if you feel like I'm slacking on that. I'd love to hear your thoughts, suggestions and ideas. Please review! **

Hermione approached the small cottage with slumped shoulders. Though it was not hers, she did not hesitate to let herself in. The moment her foot crossed the threshold, she inhaled deeply and sighed. "Gin, what is that heavenly smell?"

Ginny Potter, Hermione's sister-in-law and owner of the house, poked her head out from behind a wall. "Hermione! We didn't even hear you come in!"

The "we" she referred to was a whimpering baby girl with a shock of red hair that she bounced on her hip.

"Why aren't you in bed, Lilybee?" Hermione cooed. She stepped closer and pressed her lips to the girl's forehead.

"She was, until Rosie and Al decided to upend an ink pot over her head."

Hermione's jaw dropped, and she felt a pang of guilt.

"Oh Ginny, I'm so sorry. You have the kids so often and –"

Ginny held up a hand to stop her. "Oh, hush. You work harder than anyone. I don't mind taking the kids once in a while. What's two more to the pack?"

"Well, we appreciate it. Speaking of the pack, where are Rosie and Hugo?"

"Both in bed. Same with James and Al. Mischief, apparently, is exhausting."

Hermione laughed, but without much feeling.

"So…" Ginny set the pot she'd been stirring to continue magically, and turned her attention fully to Hermione.

"So?"

"Any word?"

It went unspoken to whom she was referring. As head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, the Auror office fell under Hermione's umbrella. Harry, as the head of the office, normally kept her up-to-date with any new developments and the progression of their missions. This time, however, the mission was important enough that Harry was personally attending to the matter, along with a large portion of his crew – including Ron.

Hermione shook her head sadly, and slid into the nearest chair. "No. It's getting so difficult to assist the offices under me when all I can think about is this stupid mission."

Ginny groaned. "Can't he just floo? Or send a bloody patronus? I don't understand their aversion to communication."

"Anonymity? Security?"

"Oh, stop making valid points when I'm trying to be cross with my husband."

If only she knew.

Hermione knew that Ginny's anger towards Harry was all facetious. They rarely ever fought, and one would be hard pressed to find a married couple more in love than the two of them. Hermione would never admit it, but resentment for her own husband was beginning to fester. Ron spent more and more time in the field. Hermione, after a while, demanded of Harry that he stop sending Ron out so often. Harry, bemused, told Hermione that Ron asked to be sent out as often as possible under the ruse that they were tight on money.

Hermione bristled. First of all, things were more than satisfactory financially. As the head of the largest department at the Ministry, she made enough for their whole family to live quite comfortably. With Ron's added salary, she might go as far as to call them wealthy.

"I'm sorry, Hermione, I didn't realize."

"No, no, I'm sure it was only a misunderstanding."

Since then, even when Ron was home, things were off. She could barely stand to acknowledge him, let alone bring up the lie he'd told Harry. She was furious with him for leaving more than he had to and, she hated to admit it, deeply hurt. What was so horrible about his life with her that he had to escape it?

Ginny set a piping hot bowl of stew on the table in front of her, distracting her from her reverie. "Bless you."

Ginny laughed. "It's only stew. Besides, I was starving."

She took a seat next to Hermione and set Lily on the ground to play.

Between eager mouthfuls, Hermione said, "I really owe you, Gin."

"Don't be stupid. It's off season with the Harpies, you know that. I'm up to my ears in free time."

Hermione laughed, knowing full well that with five kids under the age of six in the house, Ginny had next to no free time.

"Eating chocolates and tarts all day, I suppose?"

Ginny grinned. "Exactly. What else would I do with myself?"

"Seeing as how the children basically take care of themselves."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Wouldn't that be nice."

Suddenly, there was a loud crack from outside. Both women stared at each other with wide, hopeful eyes.

"Do you think …?"

"Come on!"

They rushed out the door, just in time to meet a bedraggled Harry.

Ginny threw her arms around his neck and he dropped what he was holding to twirl her around. "Do I smell stew?"

He put her down, and she scowled. "Not before you kiss me, you shameless tosser."

"Harry, where's Ron?"

Hermione interrupted quickly because she knew that in a moment they would be too occupied to pay her any mind.

Harry, reluctantly, turned away from Ginny. "He went to your place."

"I'll be right back!" she replied and, making a split second decision to leave the kids with Harry and Ginny for a little bit more, she disapparated immediately.

It was wonderful to be home. She swung open the door. "Ron? Ron!"

He appeared at the top of the first landing and, despite her previous annoyance with him, his real, solid presence in their home made everything all right for a moment.

She bolted up the stairs, and he rushed down them, and they met in a tight embrace in the middle.

"Weeks, Ron, it's been weeks!" she growled into his neck.

He lifted her just enough that he could walk down the rest of the stairs with her in his arms. "I'm sorry," he said, and kissed her until her eyes were unfocused and her lips pleasantly swollen.

"Welcome home," she murmured, and he kissed her again. This time, his hands busied themselves with her robes – that is, removing them.

"Ron!" she gasped, and stepped, with difficulty, away.

He looked chagrined for a moment. "Right, sorry. I must have forgotten how irresistible my wife is."

She blushed, and he smirked.

"Where are the kids?"

"They're still at Harry and Ginny's."

He looked confused. "Weren't you just there?"

"Yes."

"You didn't bring them home with you?"

"Afraid not."

"And why might that be?"

She smiled. "I must have forgotten how irresistible my husband was. I couldn't wait another moment."

He returned her smile and advanced slowly. "And if we go get them now, how long do you reckon it'll be until we can get them to fall back asleep?"

She slid her hands around his neck and, against his lips, whispered, "Too long."

"So we leave them?" Her robes crumpled in a heap on the floor.

"Just for awhile."

She pushed him towards the bedroom, and he went without protest.

Much later that night, after the kids had been retrieved and were, finally, asleep in their own beds, Hermione lay contentedly in the circle of Ron's arms.

"You haven't even told me about the mission yet."

He stiffened, and she felt a sense of unease. "What is it? Did something happen?"

"No. Nothing did." His words were cold.

She was hurt and taken aback, but she didn't want him to withdraw into himself. "Well … as long as you're safe."

Ron shifted until they lay facing each other. "I'm sorry, love. It was just a long trip. I'm glad to be home."

He pressed a kiss to her lips, and she didn't break it. Instead, feeling acutely the long time they'd spent apart, she grabbed his arms and pulled him on top of her, until his hands were on either side of her face.

His eyes took on the quality that, even now, eleven years after their first kiss, made her heart thrum erratically.

Her worries evaporated with her exhaustion – for now, none of the troubles plaguing her thoughts mattered. Besides, as he left a trail of passionate kisses down her neck, she thought that Ron seemed perfectly fine.

Everything was fine.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Hello all! Thanks to everyone who found this story from last chapter and took the time to review. It means the world! **

Hermione apparated home, excited to see her husband and children after a long day in the office. It was nearly 8:00 p.m. – not a record for her, by any means, but she hated to be away from Rose and Hugo. She tried to be home by 5:00 most days. She also took her hour long lunch at home with them.

She cracked open the door and noticed that everything was strangely quiet. "Hello? Ron? Rose? Hugo?"

It took only moments for her to check the rooms – the house was empty.

Hermione pushed back her anxiety – surely, everyone was safe. She knew that things had been slow in the Auror office and, for the past several days, Harry had let them go home at around 4:00. She was glad of it, too, because things in the overall Department of Magical Law Enforcement were especially busy, and, as more was required of her in the office, she'd asked Ron to pick up the kids from his parents' house as soon as he was off.

Maybe he'd taken the kids out for an ice cream or to run an errand? It was possible, but it wasn't like him to leave without a note. Uncertain of what to do, she finally apparated to the Burrow. At the very least, Molly would be able to tell her what time he'd picked up the kids.

However, as Hermione approached the door to the familiar house, she was startled to hear a familiar cry.

"Gramma, Hugo bit me!"

Hermione didn't bother knocking. She pushed the door open and her jaw dropped. An exhausted Molly Weasley sat in her rocking chair, a pair of knitting needles out. Three-year-old Rose held up a finger for her grandma's inspection.

"Oh, hello dear," Molly said as she saw who it was.

"Hello … what's going on? Did Ron have to leave?"

Molly looked confused. "No – I haven't seen Ron today."

Just as she bent down to hug Rose, who ran excitedly over, and Hugo, who toddled on feet that were still unsteady, Hermione stiffened. "What? He should have been here hours ago! Harry told me he let the Aurors go home at 4:00 and Ron agreed to pick up the kids as soon as work ended."

Molly looked apologetic. "Oh, I'm sure he's just fine."

In that moment, whether or not he was fine was the least of Hermione's concerns. She wanted to scream, especially when she caught sight of Molly's clock above the mantel piece and saw that, as she suspected, Ron's hand pointed to "work."

"Oh, Molly, I'm so sorry! I never would have left the kids here this long!"

"Oh, don't be silly. It was no trouble."

Hermione knew her mother-in-law was being generous. Rosie and Hugo had arrived at the Burrow at 8:00 that morning, which meant they'd been there for twelve hours.

"I – _we_ appreciate it so much, Molly. It won't happen again, I promise."

"Why are you mad, mummy?"

Hermione scooped her anxious daughter into her arms and planted a kiss in her mess of fiery curls. "I'm not mad, Rosie. I was only surprised."

At the mention of the word "surprise," Rose's face lit up and she began to yammer about presents and birthdays and parties. Hermione, too exhausted to contribute much other than the occasional "Hm," and "Sounds nice, darling," stepped over to kiss Molly goodbye before she grabbed Hugo in her other arm and flooed home, her babies in tow.

Neither of them had a nap during the day, and both were clearly about to pass out from exhaustion. Hermione, ignoring the fact that it was still relatively early in the evening, decided to send them to bed. Otherwise, she worried she might, in her annoyance with Ron, snap at them.

The moment she laid Hugo down, he began to wail.

"What, what is it, baby?"

"Dadah, dadah, dadah!"

She froze, and tears welled in her eyes. For months, Hugo had been saying "mama" in many various forms. This was the first she'd heard of "dad" and Ron wasn't even here to hear it.

"He'll be home soon, sweetheart."

"Dadah, dadah, dadah!"

"I know, I know, Hugo."

"Daaaadah!"

"He's coming, he'll be home soon. He's coming."

"I'm here."

She spun around. Ron stood before her, a grin on his face. He held out his arms and, because Hugo had quieted the moment he caught sight of his dad, Hermione did not protest.

"Hey, mate, did you say my name?"

Hugo smiled through his tears and patted Ron's cheeks.

"Where have you been?" Hermione's words dripped with thinly veiled anger.

"Work."

He did not volunteer anything else. Did not apologize or explain.

"That's _it_? _Work_?"

Hugo whimpered, clearly able to hear the animosity in Hermione's words. She inhaled slowly. "You don't mind getting him to sleep, do you? I'll be in bed."

She did not wait for a response, only whirled from the room. There was so much she wanted to say, words she played it over in her head. So many things about how she knew the Auror office was slow and why had he felt the need to stay so late and how could he waltz back in here and act like nothing was wrong and didn't he know his mum had the kids and didn't he feel horrible? Did he even realize? Why was so much of his time lately spent in the office? Why wasn't his life at home enough for him?

"Why aren't I enough?" she asked the empty air around her. When it didn't reply, she rolled over and pulled the covers to her chin. She had so many things to say.

However, when, a few minutes later, he crawled into bed next to her and whispered, "Hermione? Are you awake?" she bit her lip and didn't say a word.

She heard Ron sigh, but she stayed frozen. She woke up in the same position.

When Hermione padded down the stairs that morning, she was both pleased and mildly annoyed to see Ron at the stove. Rose was already eating a plate of eggs, and Ron appeared to be fixing up another for Hermione. Hugo sat in the baby chair happily drinking his milk. It was clear that Ron was trying to make up for the day before, but he didn't seem to realize that there were deeper issues at hand.

"Mum!"

Hermione flashed a faint smile in Rose's direction. "Good morning, Rosie girl." She ignored Ron in favor of the children – Hugo, who gave her a giggling, sticky kiss and Rose, who reached up her chubby arms for a hug.

"Eggs for breakfast?"

Ron met her gaze with a bashful smile. "Your favorite?"

"Yes, I know." She walked around to sit by Hugo. "Today I have office head reports early, so I'll need to leave soon."

For what appeared to be no reason at all, Ron tensed.

"All right."

"Will you be off in time to get the kids by 4:00? Or do I need to leave early?"

He shoveled the now burnt omelet onto a plate and handed it to her. He shrugged in response to her question.

"I need to know, Ron. We can't tell someone 4:00 and then show up four and a half hours late!"

"That's fine – I'll pick them up."

She nodded briskly, too irritated to thank him. "Good. The work I have tomorrow can be done at home, so I'll be here with them all day."

He nodded. "Sounds fine."

She closed her eyes and resisted the urge to snap. If she did, she knew, Rose would immediately notice and ask what the matter was.

"Shall I floo them over to Harry and Ginny's, then?"

"I can take them after breakfast."

"All right, then. I'll see you tonight."

He nodded, but didn't turn around. Hermione was at a loss for what to do, and she found herself wanting to confide in her mum. It seemed like it had been ages since she'd seen her. Just before she crossed the threshold, she poked her head back in the front room and called, "I think after work I might pop in and say hello to my parents."

"All right."

Irate, she stormed out the door and slammed it. She felt a little childish, but didn't care as she raised her wand and turned on the spot.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Quick thing – as many of you must have heard by now about the brilliant new article J.K. Rowling came out with, I have to make a quick disclaimer – I didn't know until the article that Ron was only supposed to work at the ministry for two years before moving on to the joke shop, so please excuse the lapse in canon. Please review! Love you all **

Hermione blinked and took in the small, familiar home of her parents. It was early in the evening, so they should still be at the dental office they owned and worked at. She bent down to retrieve the key they kept under the rug since their neighbors were rather nosy and would surely notice if she were to pull out a long stick and wave it at the door, then proceed to enter a home she did not live in.

She turned around as their car pulled into the driveway.

"Hermione! What are you doing here, dear?"

"Oh … I was here to talk to you, mum. Why are you home so early?"

They blushed. "Oh … no more appointments for the day."

"Neither of you?"

"No! Jean, I'm going inside to fix us some supper," her dad muttered, and stepped around her and into the house. Hermione reeled – no hug? Or greeting?

"Erm … if now isn't a good time –"

"Don't be silly! Come in, come in."

Hermione frowned at her. "If you're sure …"

"Of course I'm sure!"

Minutes later, they sat together on the front room sofa. Her dad was busy in the other room.

"So what brings you out?"

"Well…" Hermione was at a loss for how to bring up her concerns.

"Is something the matter with the kids?"

"No – but … mum … where were you and dad?"

Jean sighed heavily. "Oh, all right, I'll let you know, but you mustn't tease."

Hermione stared, mildly affronted. "I wouldn't tease you!"

"And you mustn't tell your father I told you."

"All right …" Hermione was worried now.

"Wewereatacounselingsession."

Her mum breathed heavily after this muddled admission. Hermione sat still for a moment as she tried to piece together what had been said.

"A _counseling_ session?"

"Shh!"

"Sorry, sorry." Hermione lowered her voice. "But … is something the matter? Why are you in therapy?"

She reeled at the thought of her parents as anything but secure and happy. They were in their fifties, for Merlin's sake. They'd been married for over thirty years. How could anything just now go wrong after all that time?

"It's nothing serious, don't fret."

Hermione tried not to.

"Your father and I haven't been synching like we used to."

"What do you mean?"

"We've just had some lapses in communication and …" her mum flushed, "… and other things."

Hermione had no desire to push it with the "other things" her mum might be referring to.

"But … you'll be all right?"

"Oh, yes, of course. Don't get any notions in your head about anything extreme. We'll be just fine."

Hermione nodded, hoping she could believe her.

"And what did you come here to talk about?"

For a moment she didn't know what her mum was referring to, but then she remembered and flushed. No matter how close she and her mum were, she still had a hard time explaining her own problems to her mum. Even still, she had always been able to talk to her, and it came out eventually.

"So … what do you think is the matter?"

"I don't know! _That_ is the problem! There might be not one at all."

"Have you tried to talk to him about it?"

"Well … no, not really. But every time I bring it up at all he shuts me out."

"Give me an example."

Hermione tried to think, but she realized that every time she was about to say something, she didn't. Her passive aggressive jabs in his direction should have clued him in, but she supposed it wasn't his fault that he didn't approach her with a problem he didn't know existed.

"I … I don't really have one."

"Maybe you should talk to him about it. And if you can't make any head way, well, counseling has helped dad and I."

Hermione blanched at the thought of what Ron would say if she brought up counseling, but she nodded as though she might actually consider it.

Just then, her dad walked with a grin. "You girls want soup?"

"Oh – no, I better get home. I promised Rosie I'd read to her as soon as I got home."

They said their goodbyes and Hermione kissed her mum on the cheek. "Thanks for the talk," she said on her way out the door.

When Hermione stepped inside her own home, she was pleased to see Ron and the kids already inside. Ron stood at the stove, making soup. She thought of her dad and smiled.

"Welcome home," he said, and shot her a small smile over his shoulder. Everything felt normal. She wanted to believe everything was normal. She walked over to him and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Thanks, love."

He looked surprised, but pleased and turned around fully to pull her into a proper kiss.

"Gross!" Rose's shrill voice shrieked and, ears red, Ron pulled away. He laughed and turned back to the stove. Hermione, feeling rather warm herself, walked over to tend to a now fussing Hugo.

"Sorry, sweetie," Ron told Rose. "I can't help it."

She looked puzzled. "Why do you need help?"

"No – I just meant that it's right near impossible to stop kissing my best girls." To prove his point, he leaned forward and pressed a sloppy kiss on Rose's cheek.

"Ew! Daddy, no!" She wriggled to escape, but he held her tighter and laughed.

"Sorry, Rosie Posie, I got you!"

She giggled and squirmed, and Hermione looked on with a grin. Her children were lucky to have Ron Weasley for a dad. And she was so lucky to have him for a husband. If only he believed as much.

That night, Hermione crawled into bed completely exhausted. Ron, a few moments later, got in next to her.

"Hermione?"

"Hm?" she rolled over to look at him.

"Nothing – just seeing if you were awake."

"Why? Anything the matter?"

She hoped he would bring it up so maybe she wouldn't have to.

"No – everything's fine."

Her eyes felt droopy. "Oh? How was work today?"

Ron froze, and her heart sunk. Why did this always happen when she brought up his job?

"What? Did something happen?"

"Nothing ever happens."

Why did she feel like they'd had this conversation before?

"Well … in our line of work, isn't nothing better than something more often than not?"

He shrugged, but clearly did not want to discuss it any further. Hermione, by now, was completely awake.

"Yeah, reckon so."

She opened her mouth, ready to say everything on her mind. Instead, what came out was, "So it was uneventful?"

"That's the word I would use."

"I'm glad, then, that you're safe but sorry work's been slow."

"'s fine. How was your day?"

"Busy – nothing interesting." Already he seemed to be losing interest. "Memos, mostly."

He nodded distractedly and stared at the ceiling.

"Sounds exciting."

"It was anything but." She knew her tone was cold as the words came out, but Ron didn't seem to notice.

"I'm sorry," he said after another long stretch of silence. "I think I'm just distracted today."

"Oh? Distracted by what?"

"By the thing you keep doing with your lip, first of all," he said, and she was relieved that his tone was lighter.

"What am I doing with my lip?"

He shifted until he was propped on his elbow, leaning over her. "Chewing on it. Drives me mad."

Hermione's pulse accelerated and she smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry. I'll make sure not to do it anymore."

He pressed his lips to her ear and whispered, "Don't you dare."

He kissed her hard, and she wanted him to. It was easy, snogging her husband in their warm bed, worlds away from the prying eyes of any easily disgusted daughters, to brush aside all of her concerns.

_What about talking?_

His hands slid up her stomach, under her tank top, and then he took it off.

_Tomorrow._


End file.
